Early Diagnostic Prediction of Infective Endocarditis: Development and Validation of EndoPredict-Dx.

Background: Infective endocarditis is a life-threatening disease with diverse clinical presentations, making diagnosis challenging and requiring a range of complementary tests. The level of suspicion, based on clinical judgment, guides decisions regarding the initiation of empirical treatment and the selection of appropriate diagnostic tools. This study aimed to develop and validate the EndoPredict-Dx score for early prediction of infective endocarditis diagnosis.

Prospective association between the Cardiovascular Health Diet Index and subclinical atherosclerosis: the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort study.

The Cardiovascular Health Diet Index (CHDI) is a diet quality score based on the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association for cardiovascular health but with some adaptations, such as red meat, dairy products, beans and ultra-processed foods in its components. The CHDI has shown good relative validity parameters; however, its association with health outcomes is still unclear. Thus, our aim was to investigate the association between the CHDI score with subclinical atherosclerosis.

The Predictive Value of Sepsis Scores for In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Left-Sided Infective Endocarditis.

Background: As infective endocarditis has particular characteristics compared to other infectious diseases, it is not clear if sepsis scores are reported with good accuracy in these patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of the qSOFA and SOFA scores to predict mortality in patients with infective endocarditis.

Methods: Between January 2010 and June 2019, 867 patients with suspected left-sided endocarditis were evaluated; 517 were included with left-sided infective endocarditis defined as "possible" or "definite" endocarditis, according to the Modified Duke Criteria.

The impact of diabetes and subclinical hypothyroidism association with coronary artery calcium: results from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Objective: We aimed to analyze the association of diabetes and subclinical hypothyroidism with subclinical atherosclerosis measured by coronary artery calcium (CAC) in the baseline of the ELSA-Brasil study.

Materials And Methods: CAC was measured using a 64-detector computed tomographic scanner. The association of CAC > 0 was presented as an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) in logistic models and as β (95%CI) in linear models after multivariable adjustment for confounders.

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Versus Invasive Coronary Angiography in Stable Chest Pain: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: The efficacy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) versus invasive coronary angiography (ICA) among patients with stable chest pain has been studied in several trials with conflicting results.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing CCTA first versus direct ICA among patients with stable chest pain, who were initially referred to ICA. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing the 2 strategies.

Percentiles of predicted 10-year cardiovascular disease risk by sex and age in Brazil and their association with estimated risk of long-term atherosclerotic events.

Objective: Expressing the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in relation to peers may complement the estimation of absolute CVD risk. We aimed to determine 10-year CVD risk percentiles by sex and age in the Brazilian population and evaluate their association with estimated long-term atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the ELSA-Brasil study was conducted in individuals aged 40-74 years without prior ASCVD.

Carotid intima-media thickness in adults with and without psoriasis - a nested case-control study from baseline data of ELSA-Brasil cohort.

There is a lack of consensus about the association between psoriasis (PSO) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in literature, since previous studies considered dermatologic clinic patients or general population. This study aimed to compare cIMT levels according to PSO in a sample of 10,530 civil servants form the ELSA-Brasil cohort study and analyze its association with the disease. The PSO cases and disease duration were identified by medical diagnosis self-reported at study enrollment.

Renin-angiotensin System Antagonists and Beta-blockers in Prevention of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: The evidence supporting the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors and beta-blockers for the prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy is controversial.

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of these drugs in preventing cardiotoxicity.

Methods: The meta-analysis included prospective, randomized studies in adults receiving anthracycline chemotherapy and compared the use of RAAS inhibitors or beta-blockers versus placebo with a follow-up of 6 to 18 months.

Ischemic stroke caused by large-artery atherosclerosis: a red flag for subclinical coronary artery disease.

Background: The coronary calcium score (CAC) measured on chest computerized tomography is a risk marker of cardiac events and mortality. We compared CAC scores in two multiethnic groups without symptomatic coronary artery disease: subjects in the chronic phase after stroke or transient ischemic attack and at least one symptomatic stenosis ≥50% in the carotid or vertebrobasilar territories (Group) and a control group (Group).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, Group included two subgroups: Group, with stenoses in either cervical intracranial arteries, and Group, with stenoses in at least one cervical and one intracranial artery.

The association between triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, circulating leukocytes, and low-grade inflammation: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Background: Experimental studies have linked triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) to inflammation, but the extent of this phenomenon in vivo has not been completely elucidated.

Objective: We investigated the association between TRL subparticles and inflammatory markers (circulating leukocytes, plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP], and GlycA) in the general population.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Coronary computed tomography plaque-based scores predict long-term cardiovascular events.

Objectives: Coronary computed tomography angiography (coronary CTA) scores based on luminal obstruction, plaque burden, and characteristics are used for prognostication in coronary artery disease (CAD), such as segmental stenosis and plaque extent involvement and Gensini and Leaman scores. The use of coronary CTA scores for the long-term prognosis remains not completely defined. We sought to evaluate the long-term prognosis of CTA scores for cardiovascular events in symptomatic patients with suspected CAD.

Association of Androgen Deprivation Therapy with Metabolic Disease in Prostate Cancer Patients: An Updated Meta-Analysis.

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a backbone treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PC), is known to have a variety of metabolic side effects. We conducted an updated meta-analysis to quantify the metabolic risks of ADT.

Materials And Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus in May of 2022 for studies investigating the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), diabetes, and hypertension from ADT in PC patients using keywords.

Association between coffee consumption with serum lipid profile in ELSA-Brasil study: a metabolomic approach.

Purpose: This study evaluated the association between coffee consumption and serum lipid profile in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study on baseline data from participants of the cohort ELSA-Brasil. Only participants of São Paulo Research Center who underwent a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy examination of lipid profile were included (N = 4736).

Cost-Effectiveness of Using the Coronary Artery Calcium Score in Guiding Therapeutic Decisions in Primary Prevention in the Brazilian Population.

Background: The use of the coronary artery calcium score to aid cardiovascular risk stratification may be a more cost-effective tool than the conventional strategy.

Objectives: Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the use of the calcium score in therapeutic guidance for primary cardiovascular prevention.

Methods: A microsimulation model to assess the clinical and economic consequences of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, comparing the prevention strategy using the calcium score and the conventional strategy.

Substantially elevated TSH, not traditional clinical subclinical thyroid disorder groupings, are associated with smaller LDL-P mean size: ELSA-Brasil.

Background: LDL appears to drive atherogenesis in overt hypothyroidism, but in subclinical dysfunction, its role is not completely elucidated.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate subfractions of LDL in subclinical (SC) thyroid disorders.

Methods: Individuals were divided into three groups by baseline thyroid function (SC hypothyroidism, euthyroidism, and SC hyperthyroidism).

Cardiometabolic disorders, inflammation and the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A longitudinal study comparing lean and non-lean individuals.

Background: There is limited knowledge about the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with cardiometabolic disorders in lean persons. This study examines the contribution of cardiometabolic disorders to NAFLD risk among lean individuals and compares to non-lean individuals.

Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data from 6,513 participants of a yearly voluntary routine health testing conducted at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Brazil.

Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio and Abdominal Aortic Atherosclerosis among Asymptomatic Individuals.

Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been proposed as an inflammatory marker that might be associated with coronary atherosclerosis, although most of the current data is restricted to the acute setting. Additionally, the association of NLR with extracoronary atherosclerosis and stable disease remains unclear.

Objective: To analyze the association between NLR and abdominal aortic atherosclerosis (AAAt).

Sex modifies the association between HIV and coronary artery disease among older adults in Uganda.

Introduction: Little is known about the epidemiology of coronary artery disease (CAD) in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of people living with HIV (PLHIV) live. We assessed the association of HIV with CAD and explored relationships with monocyte activation in sex-stratified analyses of older PLHIV and people without HIV (PWOH) in Uganda.

Methods: The Ugandan Study of HIV effects on the Myocardium and Atherosclerosis (mUTIMA) follows 100 PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 100 age- and sex-matched PWOH controls in Kampala, Uganda; all >45 years of age with >1 cardiovascular disease risk factor.